Prison Wives Club husband Phillip Hicks is in prison for murdering a pregnant woman
Similar to most reality shows, Lifetime’s new Prison Wives Club mixes together dramatic and humorous situations. However, the crimes committed by all of the women’s husbands are no laughing matter — especially in the case of LaQuisha Hicks’ husband, Phillip Hicks, who is 13 years into his 60-year sentence for murdering a pregnant woman.
Even though LaQuisha said she doesn’t think Phillip is the type who could ever murder somebody “on purpose,” court records paint a different picture of what occurred on the night of March 21, 2001 in Tacoma, Wash. According to a summary of the case that was submitted in a 2008 appeal, then-20-year-old Phillip and a friend approached Jonathan and Chica Webber and demanded drugs and/or money. A spokesman for the Tacoma police said at the time of the incident that one of the men allegedly told the couple, “If we don’t get some money, someone’s going to die tonight.”
The Webbers continued walking, at which point the men fired at their backs with two different handguns. Chica, who was pregnant, was shot in the head and died at the scene. Jonathan sustained serious injuries, but lived and was able to identify Phillip from a photo montage.
Phillip was arrested in April on unrelated drug dealing charges and reportedly implicated himself in the murder at multiple points during his questioning. He and his alleged accomplice, Rashad Babbs, were tried and convicted for first degree felony and attempted murder of Jonathan. Phillip received an additional conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Now 34, Phillip seems to have undergone quite the spiritual awakening: His still-active pen pal profile describes him as a “God-fearing man” who is an “intellectual realist who enjoys mind stimulating conversation.” He sought an independent, professional woman to correspond with on a regular basis.
He ultimately connected with LaQuisha, an old teenage girlfriend he lost touch with before his imprisonment. She said she didn’t even know about his crime before that point. She overlooked his conviction and they eventually married him in a prison ceremony, despite protestations from friends.
Prison Wives Club premieres on Lifetime on Tuesday at 10/9. Also see our profile on Michael Harris, who was convicted for murdering a marina owner when he was just 15 years old.
